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By
Islamic Humanist
Every
year more men and women of all races are calling
themselves humanists. For them much in the old orthodoxies
has lost significance. They are finding satisfaction in
the positive, constructive point of view of humanism. It
shares much with the philosophies and religions of the
East as well as of the West. In Europe, Asia, and the
Americas it is coming to be known as the alternative to
orthodox faith.
Throughout the ages religions of many kinds have contained
a common spirit. We can see this in parts of their
scriptures.
In Brahmanism we find: "This is the sum of duty: Do
naught unto others which would cause you pain if done to
you" (Mahabharata, 5, 1517).
In Buddhism: "Hurt not others in ways that you
yourself would find hurtful" (Udana-Varga 5, 18).
In Christianity: "All things whatsoever ye would that
man should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is
the Law and the Prophets" (Matthew 7, 12).
In Confucianism: "Is there one maxim which ought to
be acted upon throughout oneís whole life? Surely it is
the maxim of loving-kindness: Do not unto others what you
would not have them do unto you" (Analects 15, 23).
In Islam: "No one of you is a believer until he
desires for his brother that which he desires for
himself" (Sunnah).
In Judaism: "What is hateful to you, do not to your
fellowman. That is the entire Law; all the rest is
commentary" (Talmud, Shabbat 31d).
In Taoism: "Regard your neighborís gain as your own
gain, and your neighborís loss as your own loss" (Tíai
Shang Kan Ying Píien).
In Jain scriptures: "The essence of right conduct is
not to injure anyone."
But varying religious practices and diverse theological
beliefs have been built upon and allied to this common
ethical basis.
Down through the ages humans have adopted creeds, which
provide special privileges and practices, which separate
them from other groups. Throughout the world, wide
cultural variations continue. Ways of worship, hierarchies
of leadership, rituals, symbols, and sacraments are
different. Humanism goes in a different direction and
concentrates on what we all have in common. It has become
a dynamic alternative to the traditional faiths.
Among the reasons for the growth of early religions was
the need for explanations of natural occurrences, day and
night, summer and winter, life and death. Scientifically
minded individuals in recent centuries have figured out
the huge distances beyond our planet and have likewise
revealed the amazing world of the submicroscopic.
Humanists realize we now have answers to many of the
questions that once were explained by what now seems
fanciful and unnecessary.
Humanists
feel that there are evolving and fascinating explanations
for the questions asked through the ages. They do not need
to turn to the supernatural for answers to such questions.
They feel at home in the natural world and do not need
gods or a god, a heaven, or scriptures. Moreover, they
feel that humans do not need the promise of a heaven after
death to be just and kind to others, to feel loyalty to
the whole human race and the environment. They respect
scientific methods and the knowledge coming from the use
of them. They are concerned with making use of this
knowledge for the care of this marvellous planet.
Humanists are content with fixing their attention on this
life. Theirs is a point of view, philosophy, or religion
without a god, a heaven, divine revelation, sacred
scriptures, or authoritarian spiritual leaders. Yet theirs
is an overarching view rich in feeling and understanding,
which is sensitive to the sorrows and joys, tragedies and
triumphs, touching every fibre of human life. They
experience wholesome humility as they venture forward with
fellow humans into the as-yet-unknown.
This rapidly growing philosophy and religious alternative:
(1) has developed in response to the spiritual needs and
aspirations of people in different parts of the world;
(2) contains an ethical core similar to that of many
traditional religions and philosophies;
(3) is free from divisive doctrines about the unknown,
deity, revelation, sacred scriptures, rituals, sacraments,
formal theology, big inequalities in social roles between
the sexes, and such befuddling ideas as the radical
separation of either the world or the individual into
matter and spirit; and
(4) is a philosophy of human relations to one another and
to nature, rather than of relations to deity.
Built on this fresh and vital basis, it is little wonder
that humanism has called forth accelerated worldwide
interest. In 1952, for the first time, representatives
from humanist groups in many countries met in Holland and
formed the International Humanist and Ethical Union.
Julian Huxley, a biologist and the first director-general
of UNESCO, served as chair. He was among those who
believed that the world was ready for humanism.
Here
in the United States, the number of humanist and
humanistically focused organizations is growing. Some of
these groups, in particular many of the Unitarian
Universalist fellowships and Ethical Culture societies,
are functioning under the auspices of a liberal religious
denomination. Each year more and more Protestants,
Catholics, Mormons, Buddhists, Muslims, Baha’is, and
Jews, as well as many without any religious or
philosophical affiliation or desire to have one, are
coming to accept this as their own way of life.
This alternative to faith is held by a large number of
individuals who have made or are making solid
contributions to human welfare and understanding. We can
note Carl Sagan, Ashley Montagu, Riane Eisler, Steve
Allen, Betty Friedan, Buckminster Fuller, Linus Pauling,
Erich Fromm, Isaac Asimov, Bertrand and Dora Russell, Kurt
Vonnegut, Abraham Maslow, Benjamin Spock, Alice Walker,
Richard Lamm, Margaret Atwood, and Albert Ellis. In many
respects humanisms strength is found in the high
proportion of eminent leaders and thinkers who today hold
this alternative to faith. Yet, to an increasing degree,
those following this way of life are individuals of
average accomplishments who represent a cross section of
the world’s population.
Humanism,
like religion, has been defined in innumerable ways. Many
a humanist has made his or her own definition. This is a
healthful condition, for truths are not contained within
the words of definitions. The value of definitions is in
calling attention to relationships or in making
appropriate descriptions. The broad general humanist
viewpoint, enriched as it is by the insights of people of
varying temperaments, cannot even be sketched within a few
sentences or paragraphs. As it is a general point of view
it is only natural that different people should find
different aspects of it particularly significant to them.
Those individuals of more philosophical bent will look to
it as a living philosophy. If they are technically trained
they may study humanist ethics and stress the values of
good morality. Some, whose primary interest is found in
current world problems, in revising laws and customs
toward building a better, happier human community,
naturally think of humanism as a point of view that could
bring all the people of the world together. For them it is
a challenging call to make full use of all that is in us
to build cooperatively a richer human life. The interest
of yet others is in the role of humanism as a champion of
the rational approach over the traditional theological
one, of democracy over authoritarianism, of common sense
over superstition. A fourth focus hails it as a means for
achieving personal integration, maturity, and freedom.
Once these personal values are won, concern in and action
for the larger social good follows naturally for all of
these groups.
Whether or not one looks to humanism as a religion, as a
philosophy, as a life stance, or as a way of life is, we
believe, largely a matter of personal temperament and
preference. Those caught up by its religious aspects know
that it provides a vibrant, satisfying moral orientation.
Those who think of it as a philosophy find it both
reasonable and adequate; those who recognize it as an
alternative to religion may or may not feel personal value
in belonging to an organization.
One of the great religious humanist pioneers, John H.
Dietrich, pointed out:
For centuries the idea of God has been the very heart of
religion; it has been said "no God, no
religion." But humanism thinks of religion as
something very different and far deeper than any belief in
God. To it, religion is not the attempt to establish right
relations with a supernatural being, but rather the
up-reaching and aspiring impulse in a human life. It is
life striving for its completest fulfillment, and
anything, which contributes to this fulfillment, is
religious, whether it be associated with the idea of God
or not.
Humanism gives to many people the satisfactions that have
come to them in the past either from other religions or
from other philosophies. In doing this it serves some as a
religion, others as a philosophy. Insofar as it serves as
both a philosophy and a religion, there is no need to deny
that it has both functions. Inasmuch as faith in a
theology is not involved, it can be recognized
appropriately as an alternative to faith.
It developed as the rational scientific viewpoint was
grafted upon a philosophy of good will and concern for
humans and nature. It is neither vague nor colorless but
positive and dynamic, whether thought of as a
non-sectarian religion, a philosophy, a life stance, a way
of life, or an alternative to faith.
This article was
first published in The
Society For Islamic Humanists (Message#
413) |
